1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, such as a digital camera, and more particularly to an image pickup apparatus having a light emitting section, such as a strobe unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an image pickup apparatus, such as a digital camera, there has been known one which is provided with a so-called pop-up strobe unit configured to move a movable member having a strobe light-emitting part between a retracted position where the movable member is retracted within an apparatus body and a light emission position where the movable member protrudes out of the apparatus body. As a mechanism for moving the movable member from the retracted position within the apparatus body to the light emission position, there has been known one which uses a link mechanism for causing the movable member to be moved higher upward from the apparatus body to a position facing an object, using two rotating shafts.
For example, there has been proposed a technique employing a link mechanism for pivotally linking one end of a linking member to a movable member having a light emitting section and pivotally connecting the other end of the linking member to an apparatus body (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-70167).
Further, there has been proposed a technique employing a link mechanism for pivotally connecting one end of a support to a movable member having a light emitting section and pivotally connecting the other end of the support to an apparatus body (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 5078967). In this technique, the link mechanism is provided with a locking part for locking the support and another locking part for locking the movable member such that the movable member can be selectively moved between a normal light emission position where strobe light is emitted toward an object and a so-called bounce light emission position where strobe light is emitted toward an upper surface of a camera.
In both of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-70167 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 5078967, two coil springs are used to urge the movable member toward the light emission position. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-70167, the urging forces of the respective two coil springs are received by bringing a locked portion formed on the movable member into locking engagement with a locking portion formed on a non-movable member, whereby the movable member is held in its retracted position. However, when the locking portion for holding the movable member in its retracted position against the urging forces of the two coil springs is provided at a single location, there is a fear that a portion of the upper surface of the movable member toward the front or rear of the apparatus body can be lifted up from the apparatus body by the urging forces of the two coil springs.
On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5078967, the movable member is brought into locking engagement with the apparatus body, and a pawl portion provided in the support member locks the movable member, whereby the urging forces of the two coil springs are received at two locations so as to hold the movable member in its retracted position. However, since the movable member is in indirect locking engagement with the apparatus body, the accuracy of components can have a considerable adverse influence on the link mechanism. Further, the urging forces of the two coil springs can lift up the movable member from the upper surface of the apparatus body or cause a level difference or the like between the movable member and the upper surface of the apparatus body.
When the movable member in its retracted position is lifted up from the apparatus body or a level difference is caused between the movable member and the apparatus body as described above, the appearance of the associated camera is degraded due to lack of impression of precision. In this case, the above-mentioned problems can be solved by improving the dimensional accuracy of each component part. However, the improvement of the dimensional accuracy causes an increase in manufacturing costs.